Talks between Red Bull and Russell – With five whirlwind Formula One race weekends now complete, the circus will end its way to Miami before the start of the European racing season. So much has happened in just six weeks of competition, with Hamilton taking his first win for Ferrari in the Shanghai Sprint and Oscar Piastri is now the first Australian to lead the F1 drivers’ title race since his manager Mark Webber back in 2010.
Red Bull have switched drivers already and Max Verstappen is surprisingly close in the drivers’ championship despite his single win in Japan. Dr. Helmut Marko has been up to his usual tricks stirring up rumours of how and when Verstappen may leave the Red Bull team, he confirmed prior to the Saudi Grand Prix, that the summer break would be the time the world champion wold exercise his exit clause, but with the caveat that ‘if at all.’
Clandestine meetings have been held over the problems facing certain manufacturers/teams with the new 2026 regulations, with the latest proposal being the 50/50 split between electrical power and that of the internal combustion engine be reduced. The 350kw rated electric motors are to be de-tuned to just 200kw during racing, although the full 200bhp extra will be allowed in qualifying and for making overtakes.
Both Mercedes drivers out of contract
As TJ13 first reported when revealing the secret power uni discussions, there’re significant concerns the more than one PU supplier has dropped the ball and maybe even that another has aced the rules and will be over the hills and far away come 2026.
Most F1 journalists appear to assume it is Mercedes who have done the best job with their 2026 power unit, something Toto Wolff has been surprisingly modest about if true. Were it the case the Brixworth high performance unit has aced the 2026 regulations this would give strength to Toto’s elbow in any discussions attempting to persuade Verstappen to switch sides.
Whilst still on garden leave in January, Adrian Newey was asked for his opinion on his the 2026 regulations may play out. H replied: “There has to be a chance that one manufacturer will come out well on top and it’ll become a power unit-dominated regulation, at least to start with.”
The flag there is big trouble in the F1 paddock came from F1 supremo Stefano Domenicali following the unsuccessful meeting of the manufacturers in Bahrain. The F1 boss made it clear, “we’re on the brink of a major regulatory shift, and I personally believe it’s crucial that the system allows for a faster recovery if a manufacturer falls behind significantly. That’s an issue we must address quickly – it could happen to anyone.”
Will Mercedes dominate in 2026?
So the spectre of one or more teams lagging behind with their power unit development programmes is clearly real as is the possibility that the likes of Mercedes are ahead of the pack as Domenicali cautions: “We all need to think strategically.” Having one dominant team for too long is bad for everyone. Our sport is growing incredibly and has become a global benchmark. We should be proud of that – but also cautious.”
So lets parse the tea leaves. The good doctor Marko is suggesting there cold be an exit clause in Verstappen’s contract which otherwise should see him at Red Bull until 2028. Toto Wolff described the upcoming discussions and varying the 2026 engine regulations “a joke” and Dewey and Domenicali are speaking about the potential dominance of a single manufacturer.
Further, Mercedes have yet to tie down their lead driver George Russell with a contract beyond the end of this season. Kimi Antonelli is in the same boat despite the plaudits coming in from far and wide that he is the star rookie of 2025. Maybe the throw card “the lovers” has been torn in two and Verstappen is genuinely considering leaving his home at Red Bull for Mercedes.
If so, George Russel believes it would be natural for any team to want to sign the best driver for a generation. Yet as the Athletic reports, Wolff denies any communication with the Verstappen camp, stating “We didn’t have any conversations.” When pressed on when Mercedes will seek to tie in its team leader, Wolff was not specific saying, “we will pick those talks up once we’re in the European season, there’s no stress,” he continued.
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Russell understands Wolff’s interest in Max
“He’s performing to the highest levels, as we have hoped and expected. He’s delivering, there’s no doubt about that. There’s not more you could demand from that. We have this summer window. We have no reason to challenge or question anything as it is now.”
Yet in any sport when a team has a highly valuable commodity in a player, they seek to ensure they are not prised away by a competitor. Wolff is running the risk that Ferrari or Red Bull decide Russell is indeed a future world champion and replace either Lewis Hamilton or Yuki Tsunoda with the highly rated British driver.
Russell appears not to be phased by the fact his boss would like to sign a better driver than he is to the Mercedes team. “Why wouldn’t they want to sign Max? It’s totally understandable. He’s the best at the moment. He’s a four-time world champion. That’s not anything against me or Kimi.
“There are two drivers for every team and he is one person. So that doesn’t concern me one bit. Right now, I think I am performing as good as anyone on this grid.”
Talks between Red Bull and Russell
With neither Mercedes driver contracted beyond the end of this season, its not beyond the bounds of possibility that it could be George who makes way for Verstappen should a move to Brackley be agreed by the world champion. Senior F1 writers for The Race have suggested there have been tentative talks between Russell and Red Bull, but this has been mere eventuality planning at best for now.
For now the lead protagonist repeatedly kicking off the Verstappen leaving Red Bull rumours, Dr. Marko was happy with the improvement in the RB21 for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. With Max coming a close second to Oscar Piastri, the Austrian mused that so long as Red Bull provide Max with a car that has a chance of winning, all talk of a move will be off.
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Shapeshifter Dr. Marko does an about turn – Love him or not, Dr. Helmut Marko has been a most influential figure during the twenty one years the Red Bull Racing team has been competing in Formula One. A long standing friend of the energy drinks empires late founder, Didi Mateschitz, the Austrian headed up the Red Bull driver development programme before the F1 team was a glint in the eye.
Born and raised in Austria, Dr. Marko completed his doctorate in law at the university of Graz before finding success I the late 1960’s in sportscar racing. He was a class winner in the 1970 24 hours of Le Mans before progressing to the premier class the following year to claim the win at the famous day/night endurance race alongside Gijs Van Lennep.
Just two months later he debuted for Bonnier in Formula One driving a privately run McLaren M7C. Such was his talent he was recruited by works outfit BRM the following year but he was seriously injured during the 1972 French Grand Prix when he was hit my debris from the March car of Ronnie Peterson which pierced his visor leaving him blind in one eye…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Helmet Marko is getting too much airtime, and, (in my opinion), is creating too many waves. Different, but is it not time to give Fernando a winning car. I reckon he still has a championship or two in him. For years now he has been achieving finishes way above the ability of the car, and usually three or four places above his team mate. So what if he has only a year (or two) left, but HE HAS that time. Someone wake up please, and give him the car.